Annual Cultivation of the Soil. 215 



cents per acre, for the working of the soil between the 

 plants, by manual labor, thus making a total expendi- 

 ture of two dollars and fifty-six cents per acre for the 

 winter dressings. 



M. Messager, a vine-grower at Chanvre, near Joigny 

 (Yonne), has also invented a vine plow, of great sim- 

 plicity, which we have seen performing with the great- 

 est success, at the castle of the Vicomte de la Loyere, 

 near Chalon-sur-Saone. Mr. Messager's plow [Fig. 

 91], is thus constructed : 



The handles, A and B, are of wood. The latter 

 fork outwardly, at their extremity, so as to protect the 

 hands placed on the parts A, from friction against the 

 iron wires ; they are supported by the parts B. The 

 mold-board C, and the share D, are fixed, by means 

 of an iron rod E, which may be removed at will from 

 the two mortises in which it is held by a pin, F. This 

 rod has an elbow, so as to allow the share to be thrown 

 to the right, and to approach as near as possible to the 

 line of plants. The share works on a width, of twelve 

 inches ; a cultivator-prong G, thrown to the left by 

 means of an elbow, stands out four inches to the left 

 of the share, so as to make the cut sixteen inches in 

 breadth, and also to give some steadiness to the plow. 

 A wheel, H, is placed in front, on an iron rod, slightly 

 bent. This wheel, which may be raised or lowered, 

 allows the depth of plowing to be varied at will. An 

 iron rod, I, movable in a vertical direction, receives 

 the draft-chain at its extremity, which is terminated by 

 a regulator, J, that allows of plowing more or less near 

 to the lines of plants. 



Only one horse is hitched to this kind of plow, and 



